Automatic stop for sound-reproducing machines



'c. P. WETMORE. AUTOMATIC-S TOP-FOR SOUND R EPRODUCING MACHINES.

APPLICATION Fit 5D MAR..24, I9l9.

Patented my 31,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET '0. P. WETMORE.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR SOUND RE PRODUCING MACHINES.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. 24, I919.

Patented May 31,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventbr': m FW 1: W mnw nm 4% CHARLES P. 'WETMORE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSILT.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR SOUND-REPRODUOING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1921.

Application filed March 24, 1919. SerialNo. 284,777. I

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. Wn'r- MORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of'Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stops for Sound-Reproducing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to sound reproducing machines in which a stylus or needle traces spiral grooves in rotating records.

The main objects of the invention are to automatically stop machines of this class when the stylus reaches the end of a record groove; to avoid the necessity of setting or adjusting the stop mechanism for records of different lengths; and generally to 1ncrease the utility and convenience and im- 7 prove the construction and operation of devices of this class.

The invention, which is applicable to sound reproducing machines of different kinds, consists in the construction, arrangement and organization of parts as herelnafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stop embodying the invention and assoclated parts of a typical sound reproduclng machine, such as a gramophone, to which the stop is applied; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the stop mechanism showing the brake set or applied, parts of the inclosing case belng broken away or removed; Fig. 4 is a simllar view of the mechanism in starting'position with the brake released; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing parts of the mechanism in different positions; and Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 66, Fig. 5.

The stop mechanismis inclosed in a case 1, which may be conveniently stamped in separable parts or sections, from sheet metal, and is provided with bearings for the movable parts of the mechanism. The case is adjustably fastened, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, t0 the top board or plate 2 of a gramophone, adjacent to the'turn table 3;

, andthe swiveled end of the tone or stylus vided, as shown, in Figs. 3

carrying arm 1, in any convenient andsuitable manner, as by screws 5, passing through slotted ears on the base plate of the case.

The stop mechanism comprises a brake wheel 7, havingan elastic rim 8 of rubber or other suitable material, projecting through an opening in one side of the case 1 into engagement with the periphery of the turn table 3. The brake wheel is provided with a downwardly projecting stop 9, and at the lower end of its hub with an eccentric 10.

A reciprocatory or oscillatory brake controlling member 12, is pivotally mounted at one end on a hub'13, and is movable at its opposite end into and out of position 'for enpin or stud gagement with the pin or stud 9. The hub 13 is rotatably mounted on an axle pin 15, and the member 12 is loosely supported thereon in frictional engagement therewith. A disk '16, fastened to theupper end of the hub 13,-is formed or provided with upwardly projecting spaced lugs 17.

A pinion 19, mounted on the upper end of.

the axle pin 15 and resting loosely on the disk 16, is formed or provided with a spur 20, projecting radially between the lugs- 17 and forming therewith a lost-motion connectlon between the pinion andthe hub 13.

A segment gear 22, fixed on a vertical axle- 23, meshes with the pinion 19.

On the uppersquared or flattened end ofthe axle 23, a plate is fastened or engaged, having ears 25, projecting upwardly through an opening in the top plateor cover of the case 1. An arm 26, loosely engaging a perforated ear 27 projecting downwardly from the tone arm 4: adjacent its free end, is formed with a laterally bent shank, which is swiveled in the cars 25, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The ear plate is formed or proand 4, with arms 28, which by engagement with stop pins 29 on the upper bearing plate of the easel, limit the movement of the segment gear 22 by the tone arm within the range of enga e ment of. the gear .with the pinion 19. n oscillatory and reciprocatory wiper plate or bar 31, engaged adjacent one end with the eccentric 10 on the hub of the brake wheel and formed adjacent the other end with a'longitudinal slot, which is guided on a pin or stud 32, projecting upwardly from the bottom plate of thecase 1, is provided transversely thereto. with a wiper spring 33, as shown in Figs. at and 5. With the oscih- V lation of the bar or plate 31 by the eccentric 10, the spring 33 is adapted to engage successively with a transverse curved segment or face 84 on the member 12, and to periodically shift said member toward the axis of the brake wheel 7, into position for engagement with the stud 9. The hub of the segment gear 22 is formed or provided with a cam 36, arranged as shown in Fig. 4, by engagement with the friction segment 34, to shift the member 12 out of engagement with the pin or stud 9, thereby releasing the brake when the segment gear 22 is turned with the tone arm 4 in the direction indicated by an arrow on the gear in Fig. 4, into position to start the gramophone.

A drag spring 38, attached to the bottom plate of the case 1, bears lightly on the member 12 with sufficient pressure to prevent its accidental displacement.

The member 12 is formed adjacent its pivoted end with a laterally projecting toe 39 which by engagement with the adjacent end wall of the case, limits the movement of said member toward the axis of the brake wheel 7, its movement in the opposite direction being limited by its engagement with the adjacent side wall of the case.

In the operation of the stop mechanism, when the tone arm 4 is swung outwardly into starting position, the cam 36 being turned as shown'in Fig. 4, into engagement with the friction segment 34, shifts the brake controlling member 12 out of engagement with the pin 9, thereby releasing the brake. The brake wheel 7 being then free to turn, is retated by engagement with the turn table 3 in the direction indicated by an arrow. The stylus 41 having been entered in the spiral groove of a record 42, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the rotation of the disk on the table 3, the tone arm is slowly swung toward the center of the disk and turn table, and turns the gear 22 with it in the direction inclicated by an arrow thereon in Fig. 5, and turns the cam 36 out of position to engage with the friction segment 34. T he pinion 19 being turned in the direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 5, by the engagement of its spur 20 with one of the lugs 17,turns the hub 13 in the same direction. By the frictional engagement of the hub with the mem-' ber 12 supported thereon, said member is shifted away from the center of the brake wheel 7, out of position for engagement with the pin 9.

With each revolution of the brake wheel the wiper spring 83 is carried into' engage ment with the friction segment 34, and shifts the member 12 back into position for engagement with the pin 9. The pin 9 is so positioned relative to the eccentric 10, that while the stylus is traversing a record groove and the tone arm 1s movmg toward the center of a record disk, the member 12 will be shifted by the gear 22 out of position for engagement with the pin 9 before said pin is carried with the rotation of the brake wheel into position to be engaged by said member.

When however, the stylus reaches the end of a record. groove and further movement of the tone arm toward the center of the record is arrested, the member 12 is left in the path of the pin 9, and will be engaged therewith on the next revolution of the brake wheel, thereby setting the brake and stopping the machine, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the brake will be automatically set and the machine stopped at the ends of records of different lengths without care or attention on the part of the attendant, and without the necessity of adjusting the stop mechanism for each record beforehand.

Various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departure from the principle and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

1 claim:

1. 111 an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a brake wheel adapted to engage with the turn table, a reciprocatory brake controlling member movable into and out of position to engage with a part of the brake wheel and set the brake, frictional actuating connection with the stylus carrying arm tending to shift said member out of position to set the brake, and means operated by the brake wheel and adapted to shift said member periodically in the opposite direction into position to set the brake.

2. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a brake wheel adapted to engage with and to be r0- tated by the turn table and provided with a projection and with an eccentric, a reciprocatory brake controlling member adapted by engagement with the projection ontlfe brake wheel to set the brake, a frictional actuating connection with the stylus carrying arm tending to shift said member out of position for engagement with the projection on the brake wheel while the stylus is traversing a record groove, and a wiper connected with said eccentric and adapted by engagement with said member to periodically shift it into position for engagement with the projection on the brake wheel.

3. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a brake, a reciprocatory brake controlling member movable into and out of position to set the brake, a rotatable hub on which said member is mounted in frictional engagement therewith, a pinion coaxially connected with the hub, a gear meshing with the pinion and having an actuating connection with the stylus arm tending to shift the brake controlling member out of position to set the brake while the stylus traverses a record groove, and means actuated by the rotation of the turn table and adapted to shift the brake controlling member periodically into position to set the brake.

4c. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a brake, a brake controlling member movable into and out of position to set the brake, a rotatable hub on which said member is piv otally mounted in frictional engagement therewith, a pinion coaxial with the hub and having a lost motion connection therewith,

a gear meshing with the pinion and having an actuating connection with the stylus arm tending while the stylus is traversing a record groove to shift the brake controlling member out of position for setting the brake, and means actuated by the rotation of the turn table and adapted to periodically shift the brake controlling member into position for setting the brake and to leave it in that position when the stylus reaches the end of the record groove and movement of the stylus arm is arrested.

5. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a brake wheel adapted to engage with and to be rotated by the turn table, and provided with a projection, a pivoted brake controlling member movable into and out of position for engagement with said projection, a pinion having a frictional driving connection with said member and mounted coaxially with its pivot, a gear meshing with the pinion and having an actuating connection with the stylus carrying arm tending while the stylus traverses a record groove to shift said member out of position for engagement with said projection, means actuated by the rotation of the turn table to periodically shift said member into position brake, a frictional actuating connection with M the stylus arm tending while the stylus is traversing a record groove toshlft sald member out of position for setting the brake,

and means for preventing accidental displacement of said member.

7. In an automatic stop-for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a brake wheel adapted to engage and to be rotated by the turn table and provided with a pro jection and with an eccentric, a pivoted brake controlling member movable into and out of position for engagement with said projection, and having a transverse friction face, a reciprocatory and oscillatory wiper member connected with said eccentric and provided with a spring adapted by engagement with said friction face to intermittently shift said member into position for engagement with said projection, and a frictional actuating connection with the stylus arm tending while the stylus is traversing a record groove to shift said member out of position for engagement with said projection.

In witness whereof I hereto aflix my sig I nature.

CHARLES P. WETMORE. 

